Shift in Employment Process Spells Success for Students

Recent emails from Wittenberg’s Office of Student Employment have indicated the winds of change are blowing in the process for obtaining student employment. However, the very slight adjustment is beneficial for everyone, so readers can take their hands off their wallets now.

In an email sent on March 18, Jonathan Duraj, associate dean of students, outlined in detail the process for renewing a student’s work-study employment, as well as illustrating where a student may obtain employment from Wittenberg or the university’s partners.

“Overall there is no major change here. We have only defined the application time down to between the middle of March and the beginning of May,” said Duraj.

Duraj commented that in the past students have not known to renew their work-study awards for the next school year. If a work-study award is not renewed, the position becomes available to others and the student either has to apply again for the same campus job or see that job given to another student.

“We have defined the renewal time for work-studies so that students can remember to talk to their supervisors if they wish to continue working at a job or if they don’t want to so that the supervisors can find replacements,” said Duraj.

In addition to the small switch with the renewal time, the Office of Student Employment has updated the Job Board page on Wittenberg’s website. The updates include the descriptions of each job available, the skills needed, and what the job will help the student achieve.

“All changes we have made are made to benefit students,” explained Duraj. “We created this database to help students see what is available, define what the job needs, and get a job easily. What sometimes is overlooked by students is that these campus jobs provide a learning experience for students and can provide them with skills they can use in the future.”

There were information sessions available for students on March 18 and 19 to clarify the work-study award and student employment process. However, Duraj said that no students came to either of the sessions, though he has decided to continue to offer the sessions if needed. Students can also ask questions regarding student employment to either Duraj or Laura Siemon, manager of student employment.

Duraj further explained that the Office of Student Employment plans on bettering the system of student employment to make the experience as easy as possible for students.

“Our goal with our changes is to strengthen communication with the students and clarify some previously unknown circumstances,” said Duraj. “We need to grow and change as the student body needs us to.”